Crabs Clinch First Half Title with 6-1 Win over Rockers
Published on June 28, 2026 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs News Release
WALDORF, MD - The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (40-20) secured the Atlantic League South Division First Half championship with a 6-1 win over the High Point Rockers (26-34) on Sunday afternoon at Regency Furniture Stadium. The Crabs got a strong start from Kyle Virbitsky and had home runs from Phillip Sikes and Jackson Loftin with the win.
The Blue Crabs flexed their muscles in the bottom of the first inning. After two runners reached on walks issued by High Point starting pitcher Justin Jarvis, Sikes crushed a 369-foot home run to left field, his eighth home run of the season, to give the Crabs a 3-0 lead.
Jarvis settled in after a rocky first inning, as he and Blue Crabs starting pitcher Kyle Virbitsky kept both offenses off the board until the Rockers got a run back in the top of the sixth inning on a Nolan Watson sacrifice fly. The Rockers still had two runners on base, but Virbitsky and Blue Crabs relief pitcher Isaac Fix struck out two hitters to maintain Southern Maryland's 3-1 lead.
With the Crabs needing a solid start on the mound to finish the series, Virbitsky rose to the occasion. He allowed just one run on six hits and three walks over 5.2 innings pitched. He struck out eight batters in the game, tying his season-high which was set on May 2 against the Rockers.
The Crabs were able to get insurance on the board in the next two innings. Dylan Hoy lifted a sacrifice fly and McCarthy hit an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the seventh inning, Loftin added a solo home run, his third homer of the season, to extend Southern Maryland's lead to 6-1.
After Blue Crabs relief pitcher Ethan Hammerberg threw a scoreless top of the eighth inning, rain rolled into Waldorf. The game could not be continued and the Blue Crabs earned a rain-shortened 6-1 win.
The Blue Crabs travel to New York to face the Long Island Ducks for a three-game series to end the first half of the season, starting on Tuesday, June 30. First pitch is at 6:35 pm. Keith Noonan will have the call on HomeTeam Network.
The Blue Crabs return home to Regency Furniture Stadium to begin their second half schedule with a three-game series against the Staten Island FerryHawks on Friday, July 3. First pitch is at 6:35 pm as the Crabs kick off their Independence Day celebrations. T
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